Sausages comprising a minced meat filler encased in a casing, are known. Traditionally, the casing for such sausages is pig gut. However, the use of a sausage casing of a vegetable gel such as alginate is also known. Such sausage casings are typically co-extruded with the filler in a co-extrusion apparatus. The sausages produced in this manner are produced in predetermined lengths, with the ends pinched closed and cut so as to seal off the ends of the filler with the vegetable gel casing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process, system and apparatus for preparing food products of the abovementioned type.